The internet is humanity’s largest public square, and it brings together billions of people daily to interact, share thoughts, exchange ideas and form the stories that influence our culture. But its digital equivalent is frequently stripped of the social norms and other restraints that govern behavior in physical communities. Digital citizenship – the ability to participate in society online in a responsible, ethical and constructive way – is mandatory for building and sustaining healthy digital environments that, when needed, become more visible than the physical world. Being a responsible digital citizen is, it means that you recognize yourself as responsible for the things you do online and you decide to behave in a way which will bring people together, will enable people to learn from one another, will help you and others to become educated rather than contribute to division and damage.
Understanding Digital Impact
Every online interchange leaves bubbles that spread far beyond what was immediately exchanged. A comment, share or reaction can shape the algorithms that decide what millions of people will see. Your digital conduct helps inform the general tone and culture of digital places, whether raising the discourse thereat, or adding to toxicity and polarization.
The Internet doesn’t forget and texts and digital communication are considered a paper trail, they can’t simply be erased as “oh that was just that one time.”, if you write it down, it’s eternal. Screenshots immortalize context-free incidents and search engines index your digital record in perpetuity. The recognition of this permanence will drive more deliberate, thoughtful online interaction.
Positive Digital Citizenship Expectations
There are some principles to keep in mind in productive online engagement:
- Practice digital empathy: Remember that there are real people with real feelings behind every username and profile
- Verify before sharing: Confirm the sources and accuracy of information before you pass it along to others
- Engage constructively: Focus on constructive dialogue instead of arguments or winning points
- Respect personal boundaries: Don’t post others’ personal information or private conversations without their consent
- Support positive content: Share the voices and resources that you find helpful and positive, in addition to criticism
- Model the behavior you want to see online
These are applicable on all digital properties—on social networking sites, in professional networks, and even on entertainment sites. Good sportsmanship, though, can help shape positive digital communities, even in casual online gaming settings such as virtual blackjack tables.
Combating Digital Negativity
The internet is a place where people tend to get more worked up and reactive than in normal situations. You can counteract this by being mindful of your feelings before you hit that post or comment button. If you’re angry, frustrated or upset, take a break from the keyboard until you can respond more thoughtfully.
If you come across something offensive or harmful, do not engage directly with trolls or bad-faith actors. Instead, inform platform administrators about any misconduct, block problematic accounts, and direct your energy into amplifying the right voices and the right conversations.
Leverage your following to highlight people and posts that support, inspire, or educate. Each share, each like, each comment is determining what content gets amplified, and putting power in your hands to raise the level of discourse online.
Wrapping Up
Digital citizenship is not about policing the behavior of others; it is about taking personal responsibility for the part you play in online communities. The internet is a reflection of the collective decisions of its users, so we all play a role in shaping that space and deciding whether digital spaces will be used to bring people together or tear them apart. Be reminded that the other side of every screen is a person who deserves simple respect and dignity. Your dedication to being a good digital citizen contributes to shaping the internet to be the type of place you want to live and share with future generations.
